As an artist I struggled with the concept of having “my own style” for a very long time. I felt like all of my work looked similar to other artists and that nothing I ever did was truly original. If you sometimes worry about this too then listen to these two rules...
- Copy your favorite artists. No I don't mean tracing, you aren't 5 anymore. Let me repeat... DON'T TRACE it’s a waste of your time and you won't learn anything. With that said, looking at other artists work and trying to deconstruct them into their basic forms in order to understand how and why they work will do wonders for your art.
- Explore your mind. Delve into the topics that interest you be it mythology, or science fiction, or super-powered adrenaline junkie ninja rats STUDY IT! By both practicing the fundamentals and exploring your own ideas and inspirations, you will build your artistic skill.
What Does All This Have To Do With Personal Style?
To answer that question I'll give you a personal example. After many years of feeling self conscious about my work I finally took a step back and realized that this concept of 'personal style' that I had been struggling to find I had already achieved. You may have too.
My work, and many if not all other artists work, is a conglomeration of all the things I’ve learned and practiced over the years to develop a style that is distinctly mine. In my case there are influences from comic book art, realism from my art school training, and a love of the fantastical which probably comes from watching WAY too many Disney movies as a kid! My point is that if you keep a passion for learning and creating that one day you’ll look back and realize that you already have a style that is uniquely you.
- STYLE is simply a matter of the choices an artist makes while they are creating. No one else has your brain so stop worrying about reaching that undefinable goal of ‘uniqueness’ and let it develop organically through years of practice, observation, and exploration. It’s not the easy answer but it is the most effective.
- Study your favorite artists- They are successful for a reason, focus on identifying the building blocks they use and how, this will help you immensely.
- Explore yourself- The combination of your life experiences and interests are what make you unique. Don't be afraid to go a little crazy sometimes!
Thanks for reading, stay creative!
-Christine Lane-